A NEW headteacher is at the top of a special school.

It comes after former leader Paul Sampson has left the Emily Wilding Davison school, formerly Atkinson House, in Ponteland.

A new leadership team is now in place under acting head Dr Michael Hutchinson.

READ MORE: 'Safety is paramount' at special school, says head

The school for children with social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) opened in September last year on the former Richard Coates CE Primary School site.

Five-and-a-half million-pound investment was pumped into the school by Northumberland County Council as it moved from Seghill to Ponteland's Thornhill Road to increase its capacity and provision.

A controversial consultation into the school move saw 305 responses submitted, with 209 of them against the plans. 

One hundred and fifty respondents were in favour of making the school co-educational with 155 against.

In October, the then headteacher Mr Sampson came out in defence of the school's safeguarding measures after allegations pupils had absconded.